NTSB Identification: ERA16FA17614 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Tuesday, May 03, 2016 in Syosset, NYProbable Cause Approval Date: 06/26/2017Aircraft: BEECH V35, registration: N440HInjuries: 3 Fatal.NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.The instrument-rated pilot was conducting a personal cross-county flight and was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan. While he was flying in visual conditions between cloud layers at 7,000 ft and heading toward the destination airport, he reported to air traffic control that the airplane had experienced a vacuum pump failure and that he had lost the associated gyroscopic instruments and part of the instrument panel. The pilot continued toward the destination airport because it had the best weather conditions compared to alternate nearby airports; however, after accepting radar vectors for the GPS approach to the airport, he reported that the airplane had entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and that he had lost a "little bit" of control. He then reported that more of the instruments had failed and that he was trying to get back to 7,000 ft. Shortly after, the controller provided the pilot with the weather conditions at a closer airport and asked him if he would like to try to land there; however, no further communications were received from the pilot. Review of radar data revealed that the airplane made several course and altitude deviations as it proceeded northeast until the end of the data.The airplane was found separated in multiple pieces along a 0.4-mile-long debris path. Based on the radar data and debris path, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation while maneuvering the airplane in IMC without a full instrument panel, that he subsequently lost airplane control, and that the airplane broke up in flight due to overstress during the ensuing uncontrolled descent.Review of a vacuum pump manufacturer's service letter (SL) revealed that the mandatory replacement time for the make and model vacuum pump was 500 aircraft hours or 6 years from the data of manufacture, whichever came first. Compliance with the SL was not mandatory for 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 operations. The vacuum pump was manufactured in May 1999, which was 17 years before the accident. Additionally, the airplane was not equipped with a backup/standby vacuum pump.Metallurgical examination of the vacuum pump revealed that the rotor had separated radially in numerous locations. Three vanes remained intact, and three vanes separated into numerous pieces. Rotational scoring/rubbing marks were observed on the rotor and pump housing.Additionally, debris was noted in the inlet screen, but the engine had impacted a dirt field. It is likely the rotor's contact with the pump housing caused the failure of the pump rotor and vanes; however, it could not be ruled out that debris ingestion contributed to their failure.The pilot had severe coronary artery disease, and toxicological testing revealed low levels of diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine allergy treatment and sleep aid, and zolpidem, a prescription sleep aid. However, there was no evidence that the pilot's heart disease or sedating medications impaired his performance or incapacitated him.The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:The pilot's loss of airplane control while operating in instrument meteorological conditions with only a partial instrument panel due to a failure of the airplane's vacuum pump. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's spatial disorientation and the operation of the vacuum pump beyond the 6-year time limit recommended by the vacuum pump manufacturer.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 3, 2016, at 1542
eastern daylight time, a Beech V35B airplane, N440H, experienced an
in-flight breakup near Syosset, New York. The airline transport pilot
and two passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed.
The pilot was operating the airplane as a 14 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. Instrument meteorological
conditions (IMC) existed near the accident site about the time of the
accident, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for
the planned flight to Robertson Field (4B8), Plainville, Connecticut.
The flight originated from Grand Strand Airport, North Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina, about 1240.

According to air traffic control
(ATC) transcripts provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
about 1522, the pilot checked in with ATC and stated that he was level
at 7,000 ft. About 1 minute later, he reported to a controller that the
vacuum system had failed and that he had lost the associated gyroscopic
instruments and part of the instrument panel, and he asked for the
easiest approach to descend to the destination airport. The pilot then
stated that the flight was currently operating in visual flight rules
(VFR) on top of clouds and that he wanted to continue VFR at 7,000 ft to
his destination airport because he did not want to descend into the
clouds. The controller asked the pilot if he wanted to declare an
emergency, and the pilot stated, "yes," and confirmed that he wanted to
proceed to his destination airport because the "weather's…better there."
The controller then briefed the next controller along the airplane's
flight route.

The next controller subsequently confirmed that the
pilot was declaring an emergency. At 1529, the pilot requested the
weather for the "Hartford-Bradley area"(near his destination) and the
controller advised the pilot that the reported weather at Hartford
included an overcast ceiling of 1,600 ft and that it looked like
Hartford had the best weather conditions compared to alternate nearby
airports. The pilot then requested radar vectors for the GPS approach to
4B8, which the controller acknowledged. He then instructed the pilot to
proceed direct to Bridgeport, Connecticut, which the pilot
acknowledged. The pilot then reported that the flight had entered IMC.
At 1538, the pilot reported that he had just lost a "little bit" of
control. The controller told him to turn left to 060°, which the pilot
acknowledged. At 1539, the pilot reported that more of the instruments
had failed and that he was turning to 060° and trying to get back to
7,000 ft. At 1541, the controller provided the pilot with the weather
conditions at Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York, and asked
him if he would like to try to land there; however, no further
communications were received from the pilot.

Review of radar data
revealed that the airplane made several course and altitude deviations
as it proceeded northeast over Long Island until the end of the data.

PILOT INFORMATION

The
pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane
multiengine land rating. He also held a commercial pilot certificate
with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA
third-class medical certificate was issued on September 3, 2014. At that
time, he reported a total flight experience of 4,000 hours. The pilot's
logbook was not recovered.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The
six-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear airplane was manufactured
in 1973. It was powered by a 285-horsepower Continental IO-520 engine
and was equipped with a three-bladed, constant-speed McCauley propeller.

Review
of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual
inspection was completed on February 3, 2016. At that time, the airframe
had accumulated 6,166 total hours of operation, and the engine had
accumulated 520 hours of operation. The airplane had flown about 20
hours from the time of the last inspection until the accident. The
vacuum pump was installed on February 10, 2000, at a tachometer time of
5,813 hours, which was 373 hours of operation before the accident.

Review
of the vacuum pump manufacturer's Service Letter (SL) 58A revealed that
the mandatory replacement time for the make and model vacuum pump was
500 aircraft hours or 6 years from the data of manufacture, whichever
came first. Compliance with the SL was mandatory for Part 135
operations, but it was not mandatory for Part 91 operations. The
accident vacuum pump was manufactured in May 1999, which was 17 years
before the accident. The airplane was not equipped with a backup/standby
vacuum pump.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

FRG was located
about 8 miles southeast of the accident site. At 1553, the recorded
weather at FRG was wind from 040° at 5 knots, visibility 4 miles in
mist, broken ceiling at 800 ft, overcast ceiling at 1,200 ft,
temperature 11°C, dew point 9°C, and altimeter setting of 29.81 inches
of mercury.

The pilot had telephoned flight service on the
morning of the accident, filed an IFR flight plan, and received a
standard weather briefing. The standard briefing included current
conditions and a forecast for overcast ceilings with bases between 1,000
and 2,000 ft and multiple cloud layers with tops above 18,000 ft.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The
wreckage impacted a populated area consisting of residences, fields,
and wooded terrain. A debris path extended about 0.4 mile on a magnetic
heading of about 010°. The outboard section of the right ruddervator,
remaining right ruddervator, and sections of the interior overhead panel
were located at the beginning of the debris path. The fuselage,
outboard section of the left wing, left ruddervator, and right wing were
located about 400 ft farther along the debris path. The inboard left
wing was located about another 400 ft farther along the debris path, and
the engine and instrument panel were located at the end of the debris
path.

The outboard left wing had separated near the aileron/flap
junction and exhibited paint transfer marks, consistent with right
ruddervator contact. The left aileron had separated and fractured into
two sections. The left inboard wing remained attached to the
carry-through spar, and the spar caps displayed deformation damage in an
upward direction. The left flap remained attached to the inboard left
wing section. The right wing had separated near the root, and about 8
gallons of fuel remained in the right wing. The right flap and an
approximate 15-inch-long section of inboard right aileron remained
attached to the right wing. The right ruddervator had separated, and the
left ruddervator remained attached to the tailcone. Measurement of the
elevator trim jackscrew corresponded to an approximate 10°-tab-up
(nose-down) trim setting. Due to multiple separations and cabin
fragmentation, flight control continuity could not be verified; however,
all recovered flight control cables exhibited broomstraw separation,
consistent with overstress.

The propeller had separated from the
engine at the crankcase, and the engine came to rest inverted and was
buried in a 3-ft-deep crater. One propeller blade had separated from the
hub, but the other two propeller blades remained attached. All three
propeller blades exhibited scoring and bending. The crankshaft could not
be rotated due to front engine case damage, but borescope inspection of
all six cylinders revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical
malfunctions. Both magnetos sustained impact damage and could not be
tested. The top and bottom spark plugs were removed from the six
cylinders, and their electrodes were intact and light gray. The
engine-driven fuel pump remained attached, and its drive coupling was
intact. When the drive coupling was rotated by hand, the engine-driven
fuel pump shaft rotated. The fuel metering unit and manifold valve
exhibited impact damage.

The vacuum pump remained attached to the
engine and was removed for metallurgical examination. The examination
revealed that the pump housing was jammed and would not rotate. The
opposite end of the coupling rotated freely. Disassembly of the pump
housing revealed that that the rotor had separated radially in numerous
locations. Three vanes remained intact, and three vanes had separated
into numerous pieces. Rotational scoring/rubbing marks were observed on
the rotor and pump housing. Additionally, debris was noted in the inlet
screen; the engine had impacted a dirt field.

A panel-mounted GPS
was removed from the instrument panel, and examination of the unit
revealed that it did not store track data.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The
Nassau County Medical Examiner's Office, East Meadow, New York
conducted an autopsy on the pilot. The autopsy report noted the cause of
death as "multiple blunt impact injuries." The autopsy identified
significant coronary artery disease.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical
Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma performed
toxicological testing on the pilot's specimens. The toxicology testing
detected diphenhydramine in his urine, 0.03 (ug/ml. ug/g)
diphenhydramine in his blood, ibuprofen in his urine, 0.007 (ug/ml,
ug/g) zolpidem in his urine, and 0.007 (ug/ml, ug/g) zolpidem in his
blood. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine used to treat allergy
symptoms and as a sleep aid and carries the following Federal Drug
Administration warning: "may impair mental and/or physical ability
required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g.,
driving, operating heavy machinery)." Zolpidem is a prescription sleep
aid and carries a warning about sedation and changes in judgment or
behavior.

.

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA17614 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Tuesday, May 03, 2016 in Syosset, NYAircraft: BEECH V35B, registration: N440HInjuries: 3 Fatal.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On May 3, 2016, at 1542 eastern daylight time, a Beech V35B, N440H, operated by a private individual, was destroyed during an in-flight breakup and collision with terrain near Syosset, New York. The certificated airline transport pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the planned flight to Robertson Field (4B8), Plainville, Connecticut. The flight originated from Grand Strand Airport (CRE), North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, about 1240.According to preliminary air traffic control (ATC) information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot was in radio contact with ATC about 1530 and the airplane was level at 7,000 feet. At that time, the pilot reported to the controller that the airplane had experienced a failure of the vacuum system and associated gyroscopic instruments. The pilot added that the flight was currently operating in visual flight rules (VFR) on top of clouds and he planned to continue VFR to his destination airport. Subsequently, the airplane re-entered IMC and the pilot reported losing control of the airplane in addition to losing more instrument functionality. Radio and radar contact was lost with the airplane at 1542.The wreckage impacted a populated area consisting of residences, fields and wooded terrain. A debris path extended approximately .4 miles on a magnetic course about 010 degrees. The outboard section of the right ruddervator, remaining right ruddervator, and sections of the interior overhead panel were located at the beginning of the debris path. The fuselage, outboard section of the left wing, left ruddervator and right wing were located about 400 feet further along the debris path. The inboard left wing was located about another 400 feet further and the engine and instrument panel were located at the end of the debris path.The outboard left wing separated near the aileron/flap junction and exhibited paint transfer consistent with right ruddervator contact. The left aileron separated and fractured into two sections. The left inboard wing remained attached to the carry-through spar and the spar caps displayed deformation damage in an upward direction. The left flap remained attached to the inboard left wing section. The right wing separated near the root and approximately 8 gallons of fuel remained in the right wing. The right flap remained attached to the right wing along with an approximate 15-inch section of inboard right aileron. The right ruddervator separated and the left ruddervator remained attached to the tailcone. Measurement of the elevator trim jackscrew corresponded to an approximate 10-degree tab up (nose down) trim setting. Due to multiple separations and cabin fragmentation, flight control continuity could not be verified; however, all recovered flight control cables exhibited broomstraw separation, consistent with overstress.The propeller separated from the engine at crankcase and the engine came to rest inverted, buried in a 3-foot crater. One propeller blade had separated from the hub while the other two propeller blades remained attached. All three propeller blades exhibited scoring and bending. The crankshaft could not be rotated due to front engine case damage; however, borescope inspection of all six cylinders did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Both magnetos sustained impact damage and could not be tested. The top spark plugs were removed from the Nos. 1, 3, and 5 cylinders for examination, and the bottom spark plugs were removed from the Nos. 2, 4, and 6 cylinders for examination. Their electrodes were intact and light gray in color. The engine driven fuel pump remained attached and its drive coupling was intact. When the drive coupling was rotated by hand, the engine driven fuel pump shaft rotated. The fuel metering unit and manifold valve also sustained impact damage.The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine and was retained for examination at the NTSB Materials Laboratory. A panel-mounted GPS was removed from the instrument panel and also retained for data download at the NTSB Recorders Laboratory.The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land. He also held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on September 3, 2014. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 4,000 hours.The six-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear airplane, serial number D-9464, was manufactured in 1973. It was powered by a Continental IO-520, 285-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade constant-speed McCauley propeller.

Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York, was located about 8 miles southeast of the accident site. The recorded weather at FRG, at 1553, was: wind from 040 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 4 miles in mist; broken ceiling at 800 feet; overcast ceiling at 1,200 feet; temperature 11 degrees C; dew point 9 degrees C; altimeter 29.81 inches of mercury.The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

National Transportation Safety Board - Aviation Accident Preliminary Report: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdfDavid C. Berube: http://registry.faa.gov/N440HFAA Flight Standards District Office:FAA Farmingdale FSDO-11NTSB Identification: ERA16FA17614 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Tuesday, May 03, 2016 in Syosset, NYAircraft: BEECH V35B, registration: N440HInjuries: 3 Fatal.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On May 3, 2016, at 1542 eastern daylight time, a Beech V35B, N440H, operated by a private individual, was destroyed during an in-flight breakup and collision with terrain near Syosset, New York. The certificated airline transport pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the planned flight to Robertson Field (4B8), Plainville, Connecticut. The flight originated from Grand Strand Airport (CRE), North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, about 1240.According to preliminary air traffic control (ATC) information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot was in radio contact with ATC about 1530 and the airplane was level at 7,000 feet. At that time, the pilot reported to the controller that the airplane had experienced a failure of the vacuum system and associated gyroscopic instruments. The pilot added that the flight was currently operating in visual flight rules (VFR) on top of clouds and he planned to continue VFR to his destination airport. Subsequently, the airplane re-entered IMC and the pilot reported losing control of the airplane in addition to losing more instrument functionality. Radio and radar contact was lost with the airplane at 1542.The wreckage impacted a populated area consisting of residences, fields and wooded terrain. A debris path extended approximately .4 miles on a magnetic course about 010 degrees. The outboard section of the right ruddervator, remaining right ruddervator, and sections of the interior overhead panel were located at the beginning of the debris path. The fuselage, outboard section of the left wing, left ruddervator and right wing were located about 400 feet further along the debris path. The inboard left wing was located about another 400 feet further and the engine and instrument panel were located at the end of the debris path.The outboard left wing separated near the aileron/flap junction and exhibited paint transfer consistent with right ruddervator contact. The left aileron separated and fractured into two sections. The left inboard wing remained attached to the carry-through spar and the spar caps displayed deformation damage in an upward direction. The left flap remained attached to the inboard left wing section. The right wing separated near the root and approximately 8 gallons of fuel remained in the right wing. The right flap remained attached to the right wing along with an approximate 15-inch section of inboard right aileron. The right ruddervator separated and the left ruddervator remained attached to the tailcone. Measurement of the elevator trim jackscrew corresponded to an approximate 10-degree tab up (nose down) trim setting. Due to multiple separations and cabin fragmentation, flight control continuity could not be verified; however, all recovered flight control cables exhibited broomstraw separation, consistent with overstress.The propeller separated from the engine at crankcase and the engine came to rest inverted, buried in a 3-foot crater. One propeller blade had separated from the hub while the other two propeller blades remained attached. All three propeller blades exhibited scoring and bending. The crankshaft could not be rotated due to front engine case damage; however, borescope inspection of all six cylinders did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Both magnetos sustained impact damage and could not be tested. The top spark plugs were removed from the Nos. 1, 3, and 5 cylinders for examination, and the bottom spark plugs were removed from the Nos. 2, 4, and 6 cylinders for examination. Their electrodes were intact and light gray in color. The engine driven fuel pump remained attached and its drive coupling was intact. When the drive coupling was rotated by hand, the engine driven fuel pump shaft rotated. The fuel metering unit and manifold valve also sustained impact damage.The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine and was retained for examination at the NTSB Materials Laboratory. A panel-mounted GPS was removed from the instrument panel and also retained for data download at the NTSB Recorders Laboratory.The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land. He also held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on September 3, 2014. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 4,000 hours.The six-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear airplane, serial number D-9464, was manufactured in 1973. It was powered by a Continental IO-520, 285-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade constant-speed McCauley propeller.

Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York, was located about 8 miles southeast of the accident site. The recorded weather at FRG, at 1553, was: wind from 040 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 4 miles in mist; broken ceiling at 800 feet; overcast ceiling at 1,200 feet; temperature 11 degrees C; dew point 9 degrees C; altimeter 29.81 inches of mercury.

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should emailassistance@ntsb.gov.

David C. Berube

January 27, 1950 - May 3, 2016

National Transportation Safety Board air safety investigator Robert Gretz is investigating the Beech V35B Bonanza crash that occurred on Long Island on May 3, 2016.

Police officials in Nassau County, N.Y., on Thursday afternoon identified the three people who died in Tuesday's plane crash including the pilot, 66-year-old David C. Berube of Bristol.The passengers, Dana E. Parenteau, 49, and Benjamin Bridges, 32, were also from Bristol, police said. Relatives and others identified Berube and his girlfriend Parenteau as the victims on Wednesday.The small airplane, a Beech 35, was en route to Roberson Field in Plainville when it broke up in flight, showering debris in Syosset, N.Y., officials said. The crash was about 50 miles south of Plainville.Berube owned New England Municipal Equipment, a company that sold and maintained trucks for cleaning sewers and catch basins.Berube was well-known in the car racing scene, having driven at numerous tracks in New England from 1990 to 2013, according to Shawn Courchesne's RaceDayCT website.Edward Parenteau, former husband of Dana Parenteau, called her a "wonderful mother, a great person with a great personality." She left two grown daughters who live with Edward Parenteau in Vermont.A man who answered the phone at New England Mechanical Equipment on Thursday afternoon said he could offer no comment and was a friend filling in on the phones while the staff deals with the loss of Berube and Bridges.The company's clients include the city of Bristol's public works department, which had New England Municipal maintain its two vacuum trucks. William Wolfe, fleet manager for Bristol's public works department, said Berube and Bridges were always helpful to his staff."When we needed something in a pinch they always came out to help. Many times they drove over from their place when we'd have a problem, and they were very insightful, they'd always take the time," he said.
Original article can be found here: http://www.courant.com

Dana Parenteau and boyfriend David Berube

~

SYOSSET, Long Island (WABC) -- Federal investigators are piecing together a small plane crash that killed three people Tuesday on Long Island.The NTSB says several crash sites are being investigated after the small plane broke up in the air, crashing in the Syossset area on its way from South Carolina to Connecticut, spreading debris across a 2-mile area.At a press conference Wednesday, the NTSB said it had identified the larger pieces of the plane, but because it disintegrated they are dealing with 4 or 5 different sites.Investigators also said they have notified the families of the victims, but are waiting for positive identifications before they release their names."One body was found in the parking lot of the BOCES school," said Chief Steven Skrynecki of the Nassau County Police. "Another body was found just slightly to the west of that in the woods. The third body was found about 50 yards or so beyond that within the jurisdiction of the town of Oyster Bay Cove."Two men and one woman were killed in the crash, which was near a school. The plane is registered to a man in Bristol, Conn.The pilot reported having trouble controlling the plane over Cold Spring Road."The three things we'll be looking into are the man, the machine and the environment," said National Transportation Safety Board investigator Robert Gretz."The pilot, we'll be looking at overall recent experience, with the machine we'll be looking at the overall recent maintenance of the airplane, specifically the vacuum pump as well obviously. And with the environment we'll be looking at not only the radar data but the weather."School opened as normal near the crash site on Wednesday.Investigators are combing the area for debris, and said it could take up to a year before they can determine an exact cause.Gretz said the pilot of the Beech Bonanza BE35 aircraft reported an issue with his instrument panel before the plane went down.Many people who live near the crash field said they found debris in their yards.Leonidas Fampritsis, a Syosset resident, said near his home, "There was a broken golf club, there was a pilot headset with a microphone still attached to it, there was a piece of a radio."Syosset resident Rich Cook said investigators were on the scene late Tuesday. "Around 11 p.m., they were going around with these big bright lights and they picked up the rest of the stuff near my property. There's still a piece of debris in my tree and it looks like a cloth."Large pieces of debris, like the fuselage and a wing, have not yet been removed.According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane took off from Myrtle Beach, S.C., and was headed to Robertson Field, an airport in Plainville, Conn.The Beech Bonanza BE35 aircraft reported a problem just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. The pilot radioed a distress call saying he was having trouble with the instrument panel.Moments later, witnesses heard a terrifying noise."It sounded like a crane coming down. Like the engine gave up on it. You hear an err and then a thud," said Hamzah Obeieat.Story and video: http://abc7ny.com

EAST FARMINGDALE - The pilot of a small plane that crashed in Syosset, killing all three people on board, reported problems with the plane's instrument panel, prompting questions about how pilots can prepare for such failures.Michael Canders, the director of the Aviation Center at Farmingdale State College, says a pilot can become very dependent on a plane's instrument panel if the pilot is unable to see the horizon because of weather or cloud conditions.Canders says students at Farmingdale State College prepare with a "partial-panel situation," during which some instruments may fail.But Canders says if the panel fails, which gives information about altitude and more, the pilot can easily become disoriented.Canders emphasizes that is important not to speculate about the cause of the Syosset crash because the National Transportation Safety Board has just started its investigation.Story and video: http://longisland.news12.com

Dana Parenteau and David Berube

SYOSSET, N.Y. - A Vermont woman was killed in a plane crash in New York Tuesday.

Friends and family members tell WCAX News Dana Parenteau, 49, of Holland and her boyfriend, David Berube, of Connecticut, died in the crash in Long Island.

Officials say the small plane broke apart mid-flight, killing all three people on board and scattering debris across a 2-mile stretch of a Syosset neighborhood. No one on the ground was injured.

NTSB investigators say the plane's pilot reported an issue with his instrument panel before the plane crashed. Newsday reports the six-seat aircraft is registered to Berube. It's unclear if he was piloting the plane. There's no word on the identity of the third person on the plane, although officials said it was a man.

The FAA said the plane was en route from Myrtle Beach to Connecticut when it went down. Friends said Parenteau and Berube were returning from Berube's son's wedding. They say Parenteau was terrified of flying but wanted to attend the wedding. Parenteau was a mother of two daughters.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but witnesses reported hearing a loud boom before debris started falling from the sky. However, the NTSB said Wednesday there was no evidence of an explosion. A preliminary report is expected within a week.

Longtime local racer Dave Berube was killed in a plane crash Tuesday in Syosset, New York.Berube, of Bristol, was 66.“What a shock,” longtime friend and retired Modified driver Ed Flemke Jr. said Wednesday. “I just saw him last week. We always say to each other, ‘You look good for an old man.’ And he came over and gave me a big hug. He said to me, ‘You always look good, you’re my motivator.’ He always made you feel good. … He told me he was flying down south for a family event. He was just so upbeat about everything. He truly truly was just a nice nice guy.”
oRead more here: http://racedayct.com

Dave Berube - second from left.

BRISTOL — David Berube, a 66-year-old race car driver and Bristol business owner, was among three people who died when his single-engine plane crashed Tuesday afternoon on Long Island.Police have not released the victims' identities, but relatives and others say Berube and his girlfriend of eight years, Dana Parenteau, were returning from a wedding in South Carolina along with one of Berube's employees when the plane crashed at about 2:30 p.m.The Beech V35B Bonanza was en route to Robertson Field in Plainville when it evidently broke up in flight, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. It showered debris over a 2-mile area of Syosset, a Nassau County suburb roughly 50 miles south of Plainville.Berube owned New England Municipal Equipment, a company that sold and maintained trucks for cleaning sewers and catch basins.A small group of people inside New England Municipal's office on Wooster Court declined to say anything on Wednesday, and nobody answered the door at Berube's home on Sand Hill Road.Berube raced at numerous tracks in New England between 1990 and 2013, winning the 1996 Modified championship at the now-defunct Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass., according to Shawn Courchesne's RaceDayCT website.Berube drove in the Valenti Modified Racing Series from 2004 to 2013. The organization posted a notice of his death on its Facebook page, calling him "a true gentleman." Berube hadn't raced in several years, but the Valenti notice said he had been registered to compete in some events this season.Edward Parenteau, former husband of Dana Parenteau, called her a "wonderful mother, a great person with a great personality." She left two grown daughters who live with Edward Parenteau in Vermont.Friends said the third victim was an employee of New England Municipal Equipment.Original article can be found here: http://www.courant.com

The debris field of the wreckage of a small plane that broke apart over Syosset is consistent with “pieces coming off while it was in flight” and not evidence of an explosion, an NTSB investigator said Wednesday.

Investigators have recovered an engine and propeller from the plane which broke up in midair Tuesday, killing all three occupants, but there are still more small pieces to be retrieved, Robert Gretz, a senior investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said at a news conference.

“We have identified the four corners” of the plane — key to helping the probe, Gretz said.

Authorities declined to identify the victims.

Debris from the plane scattered near two public schools and in a residential area.

The debris field extends over a two-mile radius, making the investigation even more challenging, he said.

A police spokesman on Wednesday said the radius was actually one-third of a mile — determined after a recalculation.

Crash investigators covered the area on the ground Tuesday and into Wednesday morning.

Witnesses said they heard buzzing then a loud boom just before the Beech V35B Bonanza plummeted to earth.

Authorities said there were no injuries reported to those on the ground.

Part of the plane landed in a field across from Berry Hill Elementary, and members of a lacrosse team heard odd noises as they practiced outside near Syosset High.

“Five seconds later, you saw like huge chunks of the plane falling out of the sky,” said Emilee Meltzer, 16, a lacrosse player and sophomore at the school. “It was just falling apart.”

Students screamed and sprinted for cover. Some team members cried afterward, Meltzer said.

Two men and a woman aboard the plane died, about three hours into their scheduled journey from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Plainville, Connecticut, federal investigators said. Their names were not released.

The six-seat aircraft was 43 years old and registered to David C. Berube of Bristol, Connecticut, who is licensed to fly and land multi-engine planes and certified to navigate by instruments, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. It was not clear if he was piloting the Beechcraft on Tuesday.

Attempts to reach family members on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

Authorities said the pilot had sent a mayday to Republic Airport in Farmingdale, and information from FlightAware, an airplane tracking service, shows the plane was cruising at an altitude of 7,000 feet before it suddenly disappeared from radar.

Shortly before the disaster, the pilot reported that part of his cockpit instrument panel was not working, Gretz, of the NTSB, said.

Flying without instruments would be “challenging” in bad weather, he said, but investigators will look at whether the plane was temporarily in a pocket of turbulent weather or flying above the clouds. At the time, a drizzle was falling on and off over the Long Island.

“You do need your instrumentation to fly through bad weather,” Gretz said. “The best analogy I can give is driving through fog ... You need your lights, you need your instruments.”

Gretz said investigators will also look at the plane’s age and maintenance records, stresses on the plane’s frame and the pilot’s health and background: “Basically, we are looking at the pilot, the machine and the environment.”

SYOSSET, Long Island (WABC) -- Federal investigators are piecing together a small plane crash that killed three people Tuesday on Long Island.
It's believed the small plane exploded in the air, crashing in the Syossset area, on its way from South Carolina to Connecticut, spreading debris across a 2-mile area.Two men and one woman were killed in the crash , which was near a school. The identities of the deceased have not been released. The plane is registered to a man in Bristol, Conn.School opened as normal near the crash site on Wednesday.Investigators are combing the area for debris, and said it could take up to a year before they can determine an exact cause.National Transportation Safety Board investigator Robert Gretz said the pilot of the Beech V35B Bonanza aircraft reported an issue with his instrument panel before the plane went down.Gretz said investigators are still collecting pieces of the plane.Many people who live near the crash field said they found debris in their yards.Leonidas Fampritsis, a Syosset resident, said near his home, "There was a broken golf club, there was a pilot headset with a microphone still attached to it, there was a piece of a radio."Syosset resident Rich Cook said investigators were on the scene late Tuesday. "Around 11 p.m., they were going around with these big bright lights and they picked up the rest of the stuff near my property. There's still a piece of debris in my tree and it looks like a cloth."Large pieces of debris, like the fuselage and a wing, have not yet been removed.According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane took off from Myrtle Beach, S.C., and was headed to Robertson Field, an airport in Plainville, Conn.The Beech V35B Bonanza aircraft reported a problem just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. The pilot radioed a distress call saying he was having trouble with the instrument panel.Moments later, witnesses heard a terrifying noise."It sounded like a crane coming down. Like the engine gave up on it. You hear an err and then a thud," said Hamzah Obeieat.Story and video: http://abc7ny.com